Big fella - needs a big bike

[itsy]

Hi all, I'm new here. I'm a 6Ft + 100k fella who is used to biking but new to pedelecs. I'm looking for the right bike to fit me and my needs - which are:
Approx £900 budget max.
Pref 15ah battery
50/50 steepish long hills & flats.
Regular commute approx 15 miles each way x 5 per week
I'm strong so don't mind a heavy bike - need something solidly built & reliable.
Would like a throttle for those carefree miles.
Lights and a carrier would be ideal.
Would like to off-road sometimes also, so possible to de-restrict motor?

Not really interested in a conversion, like to keep my GT as is.
Ive taken a good look at the Woosh Sirocco CDL - maybe with an NCX seat post?
http://www.wooshbikes.co.uk/?sirocco-cd#!prettyPhoto
I would like/need to pedal faster than 15mph on the roads - that's possible with the above yes?
Whatever I get, I look forward to giving a full review of my experience.

Thanks in anticipation!
- Itsy

 

[Jonah]

With your budget I think you won't find much better than the Woosh range.

 

[itsy]

Am I right in thinking that pedal assist disconnects if I'm peddling over 15mph - or does it continue to assist on a standard road legal bike such as the Woosh?

 

[Jonah]

The motor on any road legal bike must phase out at 15.5mph (give or take 10%). If you are going faster then it will be under your own steam with no assist.

 

[trex]

don't get the Sirocco CDL, get the Big Bear. The Sirocco CDL still has the original TCM motor, not as grunty as the BPM on the Big Bear, posssibly not grunty enough for your weight. Woosh have upgraded their TCM motor to a bigger one but only on the Krieger.
http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?bigbear

 

[itsy]

I like the idea of a motor with more 'grunt' - would it perform as well/better through a front hub as the chain driven Sirocco?

 

[trex]

the forum is split 50/50 on crank versus hub, which one is better? I prefer crank driven bikes. The Sirocco CDL motor gives about two third of the power of a 180mm BPM. The Woosh crank driven Krieger has as much grunt as the BPM but out of stock until June.

 

[itsy]

Useful info..
Dear Woosh, please put a beefy 180mm BPM on the Sirocco CDL - I need the extra height and the extra 'grunt'!
Wonder if they could do that as a custom option - that would be nice!

 

[trex]

I asked that very question last year, woosh can't fit the Krieger's motor to the Sirocco CDL. The new motor is too big to fit, the chainstays on the CDL need another centimetre.

 

[2Lazy]

I agree with what others have said, in your price range a Woosh bike would be a good choice. The Woosh Big Bear always gets good reviews and it has the powerful BPM hub motor.

Another good option would be an Ezee bike. The Sprint Primo with 15ah battery I think would be about £925. The Ezee motor has at least as much power / hill climbing ability as the BPM (probably more) and the Ezee bikes are good quality. http://www.cyclezee.com/ezee-sprint-primo.html

Arrange a test ride if you can as it's the only way of knowing for sure whether a bike will suit you or not.

 

[itsy]

What motor is fitted to the Woosh Big Bear, and if I wanted to go off roading for the weekend would I be able to temporarily de-restrict it in some way?

 

[2Lazy]

The Woosh Big Bear has the Bafung BPM motor. Derestriction depends very much on the controller and in some cases the LCD display (rather than the motor). I think I remember reading in a another thread that the Big Bear can be derestricted. Others on here with more knowledge than me may be able to tell you more.

I think the Ezee bikes can also be derestricted.

If you're planning on going off road, however, a front wheel drive bike would not be the best option. FWD is fine on hard surfaces but on loose or uneven terrain the wheel would be prone to slip/spin. Rear wheel drive hub motor or crank drive is your best bet for off road.

I should also say that even 'off road' the 15mph legal limit still applies in most places. You're no doubt already aware of that but I just thought I'd mention it.

 

[itsy]

Can anyone tell me the specifics of the motor & controller on the Woosh Big Bear?

 

[trex]

8-Fun BPM code 13, 260 RPM, maximum torque about 55NM @4mph with the Lishui 947 20A. Battery is 36V 15AH Samsung cells capable of 28A continuous output.

 

[itsy]

Thanks for that prompt reply.
Does that spec mean it can be tweaked/derestricted easily?
And what would that tweaking produce?

 

[trex]

yes, it's easy to derestrict. 260 RPM means maximum speed on 26inch wheels is about 20mph. Its main strength is its climbing ability. If speed is what you are after, the Krieger is faster.

 

[itsy]

Those specs sound pretty good - a combination of decent flat terrain speed and climbing strength. Is that 'out of the box' as supplied or tweaked in any way?

 

[trex]

that's maximum performance of individual components. The practical maximum performance depends on your weight and the terrain.
The Big Bear is restricted to 15mph, you can get to that speed easily, even against headwinds and without pedalling. If you tweak it, woosh say on their web site that they will decline the warranty

 

[itsy]

From all accounts its a solid motor, I'm looking forward to finding its abilities with my weight & regular commutes. The main thing for me is to arrive at my workplaces looking reasonably fresh. With all the good advice I've received on here, coupled with my bits of research, I think the Big Bear & NCX seat post will be the way to go on my budget. Saving hard right now,

 

[itsy]

Thanks for all the good info & stimulating ideas folks.
Whats the Woosh Big Bear mtb like for reliability of mechanical parts? Ive heard so much about many ebikes being a rather cheapo 'base' with the electrics bolted on and a hefty price tag. .Given my size and weight etc (generally fit, used to biking, 6ft+ &100k) can anyone tell me what reliability I can reasonably expect for my regular commute of approx 15 miles each way x 5 per week.